This month I’ll be writing about some of the beautiful places of worship we’ve seen, and I’ll start with Finland’s iconic Helsinki Cathedral. Known in Finnish as Tuomiokirkko, the cathedral began its life in the mid-19th century as an Orthodox church.
When Finland was annexed by Russia in 1808, much of Helsinki was destroyed in a fire. The Russians took on the job of rebuilding it, and a major part of that reconstruction was this church, built as a tribute to Tsar Nicholas I of Russia. As a result it was known as St. Nicholas’ Church, until Finland gained independence in 1917. It has since been renovated and renamed Helsinki Cathedral, and is now a Lutheran church.
Although the church has some interesting historical significance, it really is its beauty that makes it a standout. As we cruised into the Helsinki harbour, the elevated cathedral was the first thing we saw. And it’s the first place most people visit in Helsinki. These photos are completely unretouched – the sky really was that blue, and the church really is that white.
Helsinki was a city that I knew almost nothing about before I started planning the trip, and it was one of the loveliest surprises I’ve had in my travels. I’ve written about Helsinki’s Rock Church and Sibelius Park, both of which were breathtaking and utterly unique. But it was the beautiful Helsinki Cathedral that first welcomed us to the city.
Wow what a beautiful day and a gorgeous cathedral…!
I'm fascinated with all of the Nordic countries! Unfortunately, I don't know very much at all about Finland. Thanks for the gorgeous slice of history! 😀
There's something so calming about places of worship. I was not familiar with the Helsinki Cathedral before this post. I can't wait to see the other places you profiles!
What a beautiful Cathedral! So majestic!
What great photos!
wow what a beautiful church
This cathedral looks heaven-built 😀
Cheers
Choc Chip Uru
Beautiful! Norway is definitely one of those underrated stunning places.
That's a lovely church, Beth. Thanks for taking us along!
The cathedral is so striking against the blue sky!
wonderful photos, thanks, so pretty! that sky is just stunning as is the Creator of the sky!
I don't know anything about Helsinki, but the cathedral is beautiful!
A breathtaking structure. It really stands out against that blue, blue sky.
It looks almost Greek! So majestic.
What a great post educating me today; love it Beth,
Rita
Beth, great post and what stunning pictures of Helsinki Cathedral! I had no idea that it was previously known as St. Nicholas` Church (nice name, my son is called Nicolas, so we always celebrate his Saint´s Day on December 6).
Have a very lovely weekend!
Beth, So enjoyed this post. So informative. Such a gorgeous church…and your photos are beautiful! While in college, my daughter did a summer study program in Finland, studying Architecture.